Sox vs. Yanks Should Be On Every Day

The Red Sox/Yankees rivalry is the most polarizing matchup in all of sports. You either love it more than life itself; or you want it to die Die DIE!

It may sound greedy, short-sighted and homeristic. But why wouldn’t ESPN/FOX/Whomever want to air every single Yanks/Sox tilt? Where is the harm in nationally broadcasting a sporting event you know you’re going to profit off?

Last night on ESPN, instead of watching a dominant Josh Beckett and a resurgent (He’s resurgent, I tell you!!) David Ortiz beat down on the Evil Empire; we were subjected to John Kruk and the wacky Baseball Tonight crew instead. Can’t they throw those programs on later in the evening? If you’re really jonesing for your local nine’s highlights, flip over to the MLB Network. They’re doing it better over there anyway.

I like football. Basketball’s cool. Even hockey can be fun. But when the Red And Blue and the Blue And White square off, there’s nothing like it. You can have your Giants/Dodgers and your Cubs/Cards, but when New York comes to town the city shuts down and vice versa.

I’ve only been alive for a small fraction of the 100-plus-year history, but I’ve witnessed some incredible moments dating back to my NESN days. From the highs (2004) to the lows (2003), and everything in between (1999).

I distinctly remember watching Game Three of the 1999 ALCS in my friend Joey’s basement in Holden, Maine (A blogger in a basement!) on their big-screen TV as Roger Clemens got shelled and couldn’t even last three innings. The chants of “Where is Roger?” still ring in my happy ears. We didn’t find out ‘til much later where he really was. Apparently he was in the clubhouse shooting up and flirting with an underage girl while rubbing hot ointments on his testicles.

I remember being in our apartment in Manassas, Virginia in 2004 when 'Tek got in A-Rod’s head and then slapped it for good measure. My dad was returning from the Civil War battlefield and was crossing the parking lot when I yelled out the window, like I was in a Prince Spaghetti commercial, for him to hurry up because millionaires were fighting each other. He rushed upstairs in time to see the dozen-or-so replays and we laughed the afternoon away, not yet realizing how truly important that brawl was.

Article Author: Ethan Booker

Ethan Booker was born & raised in Holden, ME. A graduate of James Madison University, he now resides in Los Angeles, CA. He is patiently awaiting casting for the live-action adaptation of Battletoads. He will be reading for the part of 'Rash.'

Visit Ethan Booker's author page — Ethan Booker's Blog